Louth boss Devlin praises strength of his panel
The strength and depth of the bench make the difference against Monaghan
Louth GAA manager, Gavin Devlin, said substitutes once again made a major contribution as they battled past Monaghan at Croke Park on Sunday afternoon.
After Monaghan hit the front in the second half, the Wee County turned to their bench and got the response they needed.
Devlin said: "We knew that Monaghan would be coming hard in the second half as well, and you know we had to just try and keep their paws off us.
"Then they got their moment, and they got a goal, and then we fell behind, and we had to run our bench and our impact players. Our impacts today, Tommy (Durnin), 'Casey' (Ciarán Byrne), Tadhg (McDonnell), the boys were excellent when they came in.
"Paul Mathews made a massive contribution to the game, as you know, of course, everyone wants to start and partake at the start of the game.
"But it's so important to them, impact players, and we had three boys today that's been training so hard for us that didn’t make the 26.
"Conor Branigan, Seán Reynolds and young Cormac McKeown, and it's difficult choices and difficult phone calls you've got to make during the week.
"And because these boys are putting their lives on hold and they're missing club football and they’re so much a part of it."
Brilliant Byrne
Devlin said Ciarán Byrne produced another big performance from the bench.
"It is but when you get to this stage in a quarterfinal of an All-Ireland in a packed house at Croke Park like that and the noise. You know all history's off all past performances off, and you got to dust yourself down and go and do it again, and that's not easy.
"For Casey to come in on the back of the Dublin game back in Croke Park and to back it up again the way that he did, it's not easy. It's a difficult role you're asking him to do, but look, he's a serious man, and he made a serious contribution there."
Young bucks
Devlin also praised Tadhg McDonnell and the balance within the squad.
"He cuts those lines, and for a young buck, and so young in his career, so fresh in his career, he's so intelligent, and he can pick the right moments to exploit in behind.
"And he's a lovely turn of pace, and he knows where the post is as well, and look, he's a brilliant, bright future if we just keep his feet on the ground and keep improving."
"It's all that balance we're trying to integrate the guys that won the Leinster last year, the older heads with some of the newer heads and trying to get that combination right.
"And that we don't introduce too many young players at one time, or you know, get too stale at the top end, and it's difficult.
"Thankfully, at the moment, it seems that we're in a nice mix. I think the beauty of today was again that packed house in Croke Park.
"Our young people that's working so hard in Darver at under 20, minor level, and under age in the academy squads, like that's something to look out and see like somebody I want to be out there."